Hi, folks. Here’s another catch-up post. As I explained in my last post, I’m attempting to wrap up my posts that have been sitting in my drafts for the last months of 2019. As the new year begins, some exciting trips are in the works, and I want to be ready with an empty drafts folder as inspiration strikes after travel.

So, in a similar fashion to my post about Dublin, I give you a photo summary of my Christmas travels through a few cities in Central Europe. I hope you enjoy!

PRAGUE

Our first stop on the tour was Prague. We went downtown and explore the Christmas markets and had a giant sausage dog at least twice. Also, a LOT of mulled wine (although we had that throughout the whole trip. So very delicious). Also, check out the giant Christmas tree all lit up!

The 15th century astronomical clock in Old Town Square is one of the most famous sights of the city. We went on a walking tour of the city and it was so interesting to hear about the history of the clock and all of its mechanical intricacies. If things like that are of interest to you, I would recommend reading about it (or checking it out in person)!

The second photo here is from a viewpoint in the city we went up – the Powder Tower, which is part of a Gothic gate in the middle of the city.

The first picture is a photo of a random street. The mosaic of colorful buildings caught my eye. And the second photo is a partial panoramic of the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. Note the grey colors of the photos – it was SO cold when we were there! We drank a lot of hot tea, hot chocolate, coffee, and mulled wine out of sheer necessity to stay warm. That’s how you do it, right?

BUDAPEST

The few days in Prague were over in the blink of an eye and we continued our journey to Budapest. As we rode our cab to the downtown Airbnb, the friendly cab driver mentioned some unfortunate news. For three days, the city would be basically shut down as it was the Christmas holiday. As much as it was a bummer to hear this, Dani and I decided to make the best of it. For the first two days, we wandered around the empty city (in periods lasting as long as we could bear the frigid wind) and cooked a lovely Christmas meal in our spacious Airbnb. From all this walking, I ended up getting some nice photos which are down below.

The light in Budapest was a total dream. Even though it was winter and the sunset was around 4:30 PM, the crisp golden light kept the day bright and cheerful. And when the sun went down, the sky would turn into delicious shades of purple – every variant of the color.

I love these two pictures on opposite sides of the Danube. Budapest was formed as it is known today back in 1873, when the two cities on each side of the river were unified. The city on the west bank of the river (seen in the above left picture) was called Buda/Óbuda, and it houses the ancient downtown area, the Fisherman’s Bastion, and the royal district. The picture on the right shows the city on the east bank, called Pest. Pest features the Parliament building (fun fact: the architecture was modeled after London’s famous Parliament structure) and a more urban center for businesses and citizens.

Here’s a few photos of the food at the Christmas markets. I will say, of all the Christmas markets we visited on this trip, I thought that Hungary’s markets were spectacular. They were definitely my favorite.

Above are three pictures of the Fisherman’s Bastion area in Buda. This scenic overlook of the Danube is a bit of a hike. (There are funiculars, but hey, we needed that walk to warm up from the bitter cold). It’s absolutely beautiful – there is a cathedral (Matthias Church) decorated with a roof of ornate tilework. You can also walk around the old city of Buda and see the palace complex.

ZAGREB

The final part of our trip was a quick two-day visit to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. We stayed with a friend we had met in Madrid who graciously offered her apartment for us to sleep. She was also a stellar tour guide. I don’t have many pictures that I like from Zagreb, but here are a few to share of the old town area. I really would like to return to Zagreb one day, especially in the summer. I can just imagine the life that would be overflowing from the city during the warmer season. And plus, I want to hit up the coast of Croatia – I’ve heard it’s a beautiful part of the Mediterranean which has gained popularity for beach-seekers over the recent years.

So that wraps up the whirlwind of a Christmas trip! Thanks for reading. My roommates and I squeezed in two trips in early 2020 before the coronavirus craziness shut everything down, so I’ll be working on those posts as well since we are in quarantine. If you’re reading this, I hope you’re doing alright during this global crisis. I’m sending you love, and don’t forget – this too shall pass.

Thanks for reading my second and final 2019 catch-up post! If you want to connect with me, you can find me over at my contact page or tweet me.

One of my goals for the new year is to dive more into my creative hobbies and outlets. This blog is one of those hobbies, and I want to be better at blogging about my experiences whenthey happen versus waiting a very long time to finally come around and write them. (For example, this draft about my trip to Dublin has been sitting in my Drafts since September. Yikes).

After some thought, I’ve decided to take a new approach to these “catch-up” posts. Usually I write for a few days, working on a post about a trip, taking breaks and refreshing my mindset to try to create a thoughtful piece. I love the process, but it does take a very long time as I reflect back on my recent trip. However, in this case, I want to catch up quickly as new adventures are on the horizon for which I want to be prepared to blog about.

For these blog posts, I will use photography as the main medium of recollection. We took a lot of pictures on these trips, so I will use these and add writing to support the photos instead of my usual procedure, which is using my photography to support my writing.

I’ve been using a film camera when I travel, which has been a cool new thing. I’ve learned a lot and I’m still learning, but so far I’m proud of my progress! I’ll be some of these on these next few posts. I made an Instagram account especially for my film photos if you’re interested in checking out more. Click here to see it, or look on the sidebar – it should be there too.

DUBLIN – SEPTEMBER 2019

The sunset photo on the left shows the street of our Airbnb. It was right on the River Liffey. My favorite part of that photo is the little swan friends that are seen swimming around.

The photo on the right is a random street that I thought was quite lovely with all the flowers decorating the balconies and windows. The streets of downtown Dublin were similar – there was a lot of floral decor, cobblestone, and red and orange brick buildings. It was beautiful in September, but now I have the itch to return when it’s a greener season.

Here’s Dublin Castle. Notice the two types of architecture squished together – the 13th century medieval style on the right, and the 17th century Georgian style on the left. This is because a fire in 1684 demanded the rebuild, and thus the castle is a wonderfully interesting structure of history that you can trace through the centuries.

Here’s another view of the city, but not so much in the tourist center. I really liked the yellow raincoat on the biker and the buildings behind them.

Above on the left we have the most delicious dinner I had eaten in a very long time. We had a shepherd’s pie, an Irish stew (simmered with Guinness, of course), and soda bread. It was a chilly and rainy night and I remember that the food was just the absolute best pick-me-up we could have had.

On the right is a photo edit made by my friend (thanks Dani). We took a long walk around the Southside neighborhood of Dublin. The architecture is very distinct in its Georgian style. You can find beautiful streets with doors of every color and archways to die for.

These last two pictures are from the Georgian district as well. I had to include them because: 1) in the first you can see some more of that classic Georgian style, squares and rectangles galore, 2) in the second you can see the street sign in Irish [as the country has bilingual signs everywhere you go, and it is a fascinating language], and 3) because I opened my camera with the film still inside on accident. Check out that effect.

Thanks for reading my catch-up post! More to come very, very soon. If you want to connect with me, you can find me over at my contact page or tweet me. Happy New Year – may the beginning of your 2020 be off to a great start!

The summer went by much too fast. I know that’s how it always feels, but this particular summer felt especially quick. Because of this, I want to take some time to reflect on the memories and moments that made it special.

I ended my au pair gig at the end of June and moved into a new apartment. I had a few days to unpack and settle as much as I could before two of my dearest friends arrived to Madrid. We had been talking, planning, and dreaming about this trip for months, but it honestly seemed like a dream when I met them at the airport. As we rode back into the city, we easily fell into a familiar rhythm of conversation and laughter that I had missed so much. It felt like a very deep exhale.

After a brief stint in Madrid, we went south to Granada for several days, did a beach trip to Málaga, and then Bethany and Sidney made their way up to Barcelona for a couple days before we flew back home. I really can’t express how incredible their visit was. Yes, we saw some really cool things and ate some really delicious food, but I felt that the best part of the trip was reconnecting with each other. It had been a long year for all three of us with a lot of changes, challenges, and new experiences, and we had a lot of catching up to do. The memories I will always hold onto are the simple ones: an excellent, fresh-cooked pasta dish in our Airbnb, an open bottle of cheap wine, and our loud laughter drifting out of the open windows into the dusky breeze. We’d talk about the day we just had, all the cool/funny/awkward/awe-inspiring moments that we had witnessed, and bring each other up to speed about things going on in our own separate lives.

As it wrapped up, it became clear to all three of us that the trip was something we had really needed. I am thankful for the time we had and for the memories that were made. (And of course, the many and hilarious pictures that we took on Sidney’s camera – I will treasure them forever). (Also, I want to take a moment to thank Bethany and Sidney directly – for being amazing and life-giving friends, but also for dealing with me when I was suddenly, violently, and dramatically ill that one night).

We left Spain together and flew back to New York, then eventually went on to our separate states. At last, I made it back to good old Texas. After a brief week with my family, I drove up to Arkansas for one of my college roommate’s wedding, which was an extremely lovely week of hugs, bachelorette fun, and reuniting with a ton of university folk. It was a bit strange to see the city that had such an impact on me for 4 years – but from an outside perspective. Although it has only been a year since I graduated, it felt like a lifetime as we drove around and visited our old, local haunts and coffee shops.

I went back to Texas and was able to pass the rest of the month in a blissful whirlwind of work and doctor’s appointments. I spent quality time with my family and hometown friends. I ate home-cooked meals and slept in my old room. I relished the familiar comforts and routines of being in my old house with my parents. I saw as many people as my time and energy allowed. And then like that, it was September.

My parents dropped me off at the airport and we said a teary goodbye. Before returning to Spain, I stopped for a few days in Boston where another dear friend was getting married. I met a lot of new faces that weekend – it was a blast! The wedding was a beautiful celebration of love and I even learned some great Armenian dance moves. I had never been to Boston before, so I had planned an extra day into the duration of my stay to explore the city. My friend and her new husband even graciously came along to give me an amazing tour of Boston. It meant so much to spend quality time with them and have such a memorable time in the city. And then it was over – I finally left the US, feeling a tiny bit sad but with muchas ganas to get back to Madrid.

As I reflect over the summer, there was such an overwhelming sense of nostalgia – both with having friends visit me in my new home, and with visiting my two US homes after a huge year of change for myself. And I realize that I am so thankful for all these people in all these places that give meaning to the idea of being “home.” In a summer full of old and new places, travel, and a lot of busy-ness, the thing that I keep thinking about is this: that I am home when I am with people that I love, no matter if it is a familiar or unfamiliar location. It’s a cheesy idea that’s been said by thousands of Hallmark cards, but it proved to be very real to me this summer. Home isn’t only the place where you grew up, or a certain destination, but also a feeling that you get when you are with people who remind you of who you are and that you are valued. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the US, in Europe, or on Mars – you can have “home” with you wherever you go, as long as there are people that you care about with you.

Thanks for reading! It’s been a while. I’m getting used to my new job and schedule, so I’m hoping to start posting more content in the coming months. If you want to connect with me, you can find me over at my contact page or tweet me.

One cold January morning, my friend Louisa and I took a day trip to Alcalá de Henares, which is a smaller city on the outskirts of Madrid. There are some interesting things to see and visit in the city, so we ended doing a major stroll around the center, grabbing coffee and food when we needed, but mostly just walking and talking together. During that conversation, we were talking about trips we had done and trips we wanted to do in the future. These topics progressed and began to combine, creating a new idea that we both got pretty excited about: what if we did a route of the Camino de Santiago during the week-long holiday of Semana Santa?

It seemed so abstract that day as we smiled and eagerly promised ourselves to make it happen, but after four months of texting, calculating, planning, and packing, it became a reality. Louisa, Ashley, and I found ourselves at the bus station, groggy in the early hours of the morning, waiting for a bus to take us north to Ferrol, Spain. There we would begin the Camino Inglés – a six-day hike through the green hills of Galicia, where we would walk 125 kilometers along coastlines, through forests, cities, rural farmland, and under highways.

We were so lucky. The forecast had predicted it to rain the whole entire week of the trip – but it rained only one day. Life on the Camino was incredibly simple – physically and figuratively, it was a breath of fresh air that I had needed. Being out of the polluted city, able to breathe in fresh, clean air as I hiked made me feel very much alive. I also did a sort of digital detox for myself – keeping my phone on airplane mode all day, and allowing myself an hour per evening to check messages and let my loved ones know I was alive and kicking.

This simple Camino life made time move so slow. Each day, we would rise before the sun, pack our bags as best we could in our crowded alburgue (hostel), and set out on the road. We would usually finish the hike around lunchtime, and that was a perfect system – we would go claim a spot in the alburgue, find a 10€ lunch menu to gorge our tired bodies on carbohydrates and protein, and then return to the alburgue to take a spectacular nap.

In the afternoons, I would spend my time reading and journaling outside in the sunlight. (During the Camino, I read a great book called Becoming Wise by Krista Tippett… 10/10. It was a great book to process through and add to the spiritual element of the Camino). This time of day was my favorite, and the part I would look forward to each day. It was an easy tranquility that offered hours of physical and mental decompression in nature.

Instead of balancing multiple responsibilities like I am used to in my day-to-day life, my only responsibility on the Camino was to my own mind and body. If I was hungry, I went and found food. If I was tired, I took a nap. If I wanted to read, I did it without hesitation. I made time for free-writing and self reflection each day to renew my mind. The afternoons became a refreshing practice of listening to my body and what it needed, then caring for myself. Each day, I would feel a connection to my body and felt so grateful and proud for how it had carried me – through aching muscles, blisters, and exhaustion.

Another one of my favorite parts of the Camino was the people. Of course, having two amazing gals to hike with was golden. We got along well – always keeping up the positivity and fostering an environment of love and encouragement. We shared some hilarious moments, mid-hike dance parties, and tons of life stories along the road. The people that were hiking the same route as us also became familiar faces as the days passed. We would all end up in the same alburgue each night, even if we wouldn’t see each other hiking during the day. I remember one night there was a big group of us sitting in the kitchen area, having a conversation with 4 languages flying around. One woman (who understood all 4) was acting as an emcee of sorts as she cooked her dinner, and we shared laughter and stories over food. When we got to Santiago de Compostela, the final city where all the routes and pilgrims meet, Louisa, Ashley, and I were lucky to run into most of our new friends who had reached the end as well. We celebrated together with hugs and “congratulations!” and the widest of exhausted smiles – we had made it. (The pictures below show our excitement for finishing the route, as well as the official pilgrim certificate we received).

I remember my freshman year of college, I learned the Latin phrase solvitur ambulando in a humanities class, which translates to “it is solved by walking.” I kept this phrase in my head the whole trip and found it to have a lot of significance on our journey. All these thoughts that swirled inside my head – daily anxieties and responsibilities, personal and relationship issues/insecurities, the pressure and stress of trying to plan for a very uncertain next year in Spain – were given this vast space to be processed. I felt like I was able to step back from everything, slow down, and really dig into what was happening in my headspace. I am thankful for the ample time that the Camino offered to reflect, reset, and reenergize.

I would love to do another route of the Camino in the next couple of years – preferably a longer one. (I started mulling over the idea during the third day on the road). The first night we met an old woman named Agnes, who told us that this trip was her fourth Camino experience. I made the comment that she must be a Camino expert, to which she responded “Expert? No. I’m just an addict.” And at the end of my own Camino experience, I think I know exactly what she meant by that.

Thanks for reading! If you’re interested in seeing a short video I made with footage from the trip, click here. If you want to connect with me to discuss your own Camino stories or if you have any questions you think I could help with – I’d love to chat with you. Find me over at my contact page or tweet me.

At the beginning of March, I was able to take a trip to Barcelona. One of my lovely college roommates, Emily, was on a solo trip in Amsterdam, and we had decided to meet in Barcelona – a city that we both had never visited – for four days to explore and catch up. I was super excited: to see her (it had been many months!), and to finally see Barcelona, which had been on my list for some time.

After a long bus ride, I finally arrived in Barcelona on Friday afternoon. Emily and I met up with our bags in a plaza near our Air BNB, then we went to check in. The first night was pretty low-key – we were both tired from our travels, so we walked around without any definite plan except for dinner and gelato. As we walked, ourselves a bit sleepy, the streets were bright and alive with lights and restaurants and hundreds of people, tourists and locals alike. I’ve found that I prefer walks like this when I am in a new place – a journey without a plan or direction, and simply trying to feel the heartbeat of the new city.

Saturday brought the first of our planned excursions. We woke up with the sunrise, went to grab breakfast, and then made our way to Park Güell. It was a bit of a hike to reach the park, as the hills and pathways became steeper with every block we walked. The barrio near the park was reminiscent of Austin to me. There were many communal areas covered in vivid graffiti, and the flora was very Hill Country-ish – cacti and small shrubs. And the park itself was absolutely spectacular – we spent a few hours inside, walking to every viewpoint and structure to witness it all. Later, we went to the Parc de la Ciutadella to explore and picnic. Then we continued our explorations to the coast, walking along the windy beach as dusk began settling onto the Mediterranean Sea.

The excursion that I was most looking forward to had been planned for Sunday – touring la Sagrada Familia, Gaudí’s art-noveau-inspired opus magnum that resides in the center of Barcelona. We brushed shoulders with swarms of tourists in the late hours of the morning as we filed into the magnificent cathedral. There was so much to learn as we made a slow procession through the interior, listening to the audio guide. Everything, every piece of stone and stain-glass window and arch and column and relief, has a purpose and significance in Gaudí’s cathedral. There are so many details that Gaudí built into his design, and that are still being fulfilled with the continued construction of the Sagrada Familia. It is an architectural marvel. It’s a space that makes you feel so small – as a human, craning your neck to look up to the vaults which are filled with lights of every color. But the space also carries a spiritual essence, a sacred and quieting atmosphere that I wouldn’t define as necessarily religious. Instead, it is sheer sense of awe for the grandness and the beauty of it all, and for witnessing the conversation that every part – the art and architecture and the narrative – is having with each other simultaneously.

Our afternoon held more great views of the city as we took a bus up to the Castell de Monjuïc, which is a castle on top of a small mountain with an amazing view of the sea. We enjoyed the nice weather and views of the sea and the grid of the city, looking out and locating places we had previously visited. We decided to walk down part of the way and meandered through some more nice, green parks as we made our way down to the city. It was a perfect ending to the day, and we turned in early to get ready for our next day of travel.

Emily’s flight on Monday left very early in the morning, so we bid farewell sleepily and she went on her way. I had a handful of hours left in the city, so I spent them by grabbing coffee with a new friend, which was a lot of fun. I ended up missing my bus, but it was an okay thing – I ended up chilling in the bus station and being able to catch up on some things that I had needed to do and some messages to which I had needed to respond. And the only bus going back to Madrid that day was an improvement from my other bus – it was like a first-class bus – so even though the replacement ticket was a bit more expensive, I got to ride back to Madrid with some extra leg room and complimentary almonds. (Fancy, right)?

Our trip to Barcelona was so refreshing, although short. It’s definitely a place I want to return to one day to further experience. Like all big cities, it’s a place that holds a lot of life, and I was left with a feeling that I had only seen a glimpse of all that Barcelona has to offer. But I returned home feeling renewed and thankful for the trip – that I was able to see an old friend, meet a new friend, and experience a new and exciting place to get me out of my regular routine.

Thanks for reading! If you have any thoughts about anything or your own stories from Barcelona, I’d love to hear about it! You can share with me over on my contact page, or feel free to tweet me.

Our final destination of the Thailand trip was Bangkok. Even though I was only in the city for a day and a half (due to my flight being a bit earlier than everyone else), I think that it was my favorite place that we visited. It is one of the coolest cities I’ve ever had the privilege to visit. I left feeling like I had only seen a glimpse of the massive city, and before my plane had even lifted off the runway, I was dreaming about the next time I would be able to come back.

Bangkok is so incredibly full of life. Unlike the smaller-populated Chiang Mai, Bangkok is densely metropolitan; in other words, it has that feeling of controlled chaos that many large cities have. After factoring in a different and distinct culture to this familiar city feeling, my American perspective read it as a whole different world – barely restrained chaos, verging on absolutely unrestrained. Cars and busses zoom by pedestrians at all hours, weaving in and out while tuk tuks and motorcycle-taxis orbit dangerously around the other vehicles, slipping in nearly impossible spaces to beat out their larger counterparts. And the traffic rules? Well, they technically exist, but there were a few times when I was sure they couldn’t due to the blatant disregard for one-way roads that my tuk tuk drivers had.

There were also river taxis, which were quite convenient for travel to many of the touristy sites in the city which sit on the banks of the Chao Phraya. These were especially fun and fascinating at night – when the sun was setting, all the high-rises on the shore were lighting up, their yellow and blue lights lighting up the dark river.

During my day in Bangkok, we went to see the Royal Palace and respective temple grounds. Although we had seen many temple grounds on our trip, these were especially grand. There were so many visitors – foreigners and Thais alike – milling about the architecture, taking pictures of the beautiful gilded and gem-set temple exteriors. Everything is so detailed and worthy of awe – thinking about the process to create the magnificent structures is mind-blowing.

One of the main attractions of the grounds is a certain temple called Wat Phra Kaew, which houses the famous Emerald Buddha. This statue is very important in Thailand and in Buddhism. The account of its discovery was recorded almost 600 years ago, and it has been moved around the country to different locations ever since. However, since 1784, it has been in the very same temple grounds that we visited. It is jaw-droppingly exquisite inside the temple. There is an air of respect and a sacred stillness as people file in and out, voices dropping as they encounter the quiet and peaceful air. No pictures are allowed, and foreign tourists can only enter up to a certain part of the chapel interior. The front part of the space is reserved for Thai people only – many who make long pilgrimages to witness the Emerald Buddha in person and worship their god with prayers, presence, and incense.

The food in Bangkok was another one of my favorite parts. There was so much to try and it was so cheap! Unlike Chiang Mai, there was more of an internationalinfluence on Bangkok’s food courts and markets. There were dishes from many different countries in Asia and a huge selection to choose from – Chinese food, halal food, Japanese food, and American food are some specific examples that I can recall. The food scene in Bangkok felt like a melting pot of food culture. Even as you walked down the busy street, just navigating to get to a tourist location to which you were headed, food lined your path from individual stalls offering pad thai, fried insects, Thai tea, pre-cut fruit, smoothies, and so much more. You can imagine the constant temptation – even if I wasn’t hungry, I was thinking about buying yet another mango sticky rice to-go (my weakness for sugar met its match with mango sticky rice, which is pretty much the most delicious dessert ever).

And even though I felt as though I had just arrived to Bangkok, my time came to an end. Although it was a full day of sightseeing and other lovely touristy events, I felt like there was still so much to see. I remember a moment when Dani and I were zooming through the city in the back of a tuk tuk for about 30-40 minutes, on our way to a market. We raced through the city, in between the perpetual traffic, enjoying the quick flashes of stores and markets and people and neighborhood shrines. I remember thinking – this is a city of undiscovered cultural treasure and experiences that I cannot even imagine. I feel so lucky to have seen it for just a day. The next time I am able to return, whenever that is, I know that the beauty and energy of Bangkok will be waiting for me. There’s so much more to discover!

And with that, the sun set on my time in Thailand and I made my way back to Spain. I was received well – very jet-lagged, but mentally refreshed and excited to see my friends and my beautiful city. I’m so happy to be back! And now it’s 2019. Who knows what exciting and beautiful things this year holds for my life, and for all of us?

Stay open, stay curious, and stay inspired!

Thanks for reading, and if you’ve kept up with the whole series, an extra thanks to you! If you want to connect with me to discuss your own Thailand travels/questions/inspiring stories – I’d love to chat. Find me over at my contact page or tweet me.

THIS IS PART 3 OF A 3 PART SERIES. CLICK HERE TO READ PART 1, AND HERE TO READ PART 2.

After a handful of relaxing days in beautiful Chiang Mai, we woke up in the wee hours of the morning and headed to the airport. We caught a plane to Phuket, and once in Phuket, caught a ferry off the coast to take us to our actual destination: Phi Phi Island.

I don’t remember much of the ferry ride (as I am prone to seasickness and had taken a dose of Dramamine, so I was absolutely dead to the world) but when we arrived, I woke up and took in the view. It was a literal paradise. White sand, bright sunshine, lush greenery, bright tropical flowers, clear, aquamarine water… I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes. We disembarked, grabbed our luggage, and were shuttled quickly to a smaller longboat which carried us through the blue water to the resort.

Then, it was beach time. And for the next week, I spent more time on the beach than I probably ever have in my life. Dani and I would wake up, eat breakfast, grab a cocktail, then go lay out, sleep, and relax under the bright Thai sun. I’ve never had a vacation quite like that, to that level of relaxation. I didn’t fight it, though – it was nice to have time to do absolutely nothing on the agenda except to play catch up on some good podcasts and Netflix, all while working on my tan. I felt re-energized by the sun and the time I was given to spend with myself and my thoughts.

I thought a lot about the year ahead – 2019. I thought a lot about practical things – jobs, applications, income, visas, etc. I also reflected about personal practices and growth that I wanted to continue to work on in the next year – resolutions, goals (physical, emotional, spiritual, and social), crazy ideas, self-care routines, etc. In essence, I had the time to brainstorm about almost everything under the sun that I had been unable to before due to the hustle of life. I am grateful for the time I had to be able to map out and think through upcoming decisions. (Currently, I am working on transferring these ideas to the tangible world – putting them on paper, into a semi-orderly list. I would encourage you to do this – it really makes your ideas and visions real and accessible).

During the late afternoons, the sun would begin to set and we would go get ready for dinner. I remember one night, the tide had receded so far back, and there was this whole other beach that was exposed – rocks, barnacles, and all. We went down to the shore and walked so far out, where the sand had formed deep grooves by the ocean’s current and where the little crabs scuttled around our bare feet into their barnacle hideouts. The sunsets are incredible on Phi Phi. The sun falls right over a mountain peak on the far side of the island, and the orange, pink, and golden colors bathe the entire archipelago, creating a final, glorious crescendo of light as the island nightlife begins.

Sunset explorations on Koh Phi Phi.The view from our cabana.

One of the restaurants in town featured a live music show, which consisted of two guys – one on the guitar and one singing. They were absolutely incredible! The singer had the voice of an angel, and I would compare him to Bruno Mars (maybe even better…)? They would take requests and absolutely astonished us because they knew, like, every single song ever written. Dani and I would often return by ourselves after dinner (otherwise known as my nightly tom kha session) with the rest of the family to get a drink and listen. It got to the point where the duet recognized and acknowledged us when we walked in – we were pretty much their biggest, most unapologetic supporters.

When Christmas Eve came, it seemed unreal. Maybe it was because I was on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, wearing a bikini, dress, and no shoes every day. Maybe it was because I was out of my normal Christmas routine of being with my family back home, and missing them. I kept forgetting that it was December – whenever I would see a reminder of Christmas, it was like I was remembering it for the first time.

The resort hosted a Christmas banquet on the beach that night, complete with food, drinks, and raffles. There were performances of traditional Thai dance, modern Thai dance, and fire spinning/juggling. It was the most unique Christmas Eve experience I have ever had, and one I won’t forget for the rest of my life. The whole night, the emcees had been saying that Santa was on his way to the island and would show up at the end of the banquet. We didn’t know what to expect, but it definitely wasn’t a Thai man sailing through the darkness on a longboat, dressed as Santa and bearing gifts.

We left as the island the day after Christmas as we had arrived – long boat to ferry, ferry to Phuket, and then to the airport to catch our flight to Bangkok.

In wrapping up my island experience, I think I am most thankful for these two things: 1) like I said already, being able to completely relax my mind and body in an idyllic setting such as Phi Phi Island and 2) being able to be with a family for Christmas. I am grateful to have been able to share laughter, adventure, and delicious food surrounded by Dani and her family. Although I missed my family and our holiday traditions, I was able to partake in their family’s traditions and not just feel like a part of it, but be a part of it for real. I would have survived in Madrid, sure, having Christmas Day to myself and maybe a couple of friends, but spending the holiday week with a welcoming group of new friends really made my Christmas unforgettable.